Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Free Leonard Peltier!

This June will mark the 40th anniversary of the shoot out at Oglala on the Pine Ridge reservation. Leonard Peltier has been wrongly imprisoned for the shooting of two FBI agents at this shoot out between the U.S. government and American Indian Movement activists. Events are planned all over the country to mark the event, raise awareness about Peltier's case, and to call for his release from prison.

Please join us for a one hour picket at the corner of Lake Ave. & Superior St. in downtown Duluth on Friday, June 26. We'll be there from 4:30 to 6pm.For more background on Peltier's case you can check out the film "Incident At Oglala." The movie was directed by Robert Redford, and can be seen for free on youtube.

In 1973 the Pine Ridge Reservation, the poorest County in the US, had become a BIA Police State. Dick Wilson was elected tribal chairperson and the situation went downhill fast An unsuccessful impeachment trail ended 2 days before the Wounded Knee occupation.

Wilson virtually fired all political opponents. He filed these jobs with his incompetent friends. During his years in office Wilson kept no financial records. All along Wilson and his "Goon Squad" were threatening anyone not in Wilson's cabal. First jobs, then threats, and destruction of opponent's property followed. During Wilson's rule over 100 progressive and traditional Lakota were murdered. Over 300 were wounded. Dick Wilson started the situation, then fanned the flames, creating an atmosphere for murder.

Wilson hired this impeachment judge. If only Leonard Peltier had the same opportunity. Leonard's trials are full of examples of fairness justice and innocent until proven guilty meant nothing! Our gathering is for fairness and justice for Peltier, for native people at large and finally fairness and justice for the very concepts of fairness and justice.